{
  "id": 16968690,
  "title": "The console gathers dust, then deletes your games",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/the-console-gathers-dust-then-deletes-your-games",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-28T22:25:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/randomchaos/the-console-gathers-dust-then-deletes-your-games-35od"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sony's European PlayStation terms allow the company to close user accounts after 36 months of inactivity, with the closure being irreversible. Once an account is closed, access to digital games purchased through it is lost permanently. This clause has been in place for years and gained attention recently due to Sony's confirmation that new PlayStation games will no longer come with physical discs starting in 2028. The relevant clauses can be found in paragraphs 21.2 and 21.3 of the European terms. Clause 21.2 states that if an account is inactive for at least 36 months, Sony may take steps to close it, while Clause 21.3 specifies that once the account is closed, the user will not be able to access the PlayStation Online Services or use any digital products purchased with that account. The closure is irreversible. Users who have purchased games digitally through the PlayStation Store over the past 15 to 20 years have agreed to these terms. Although it is uncertain whether Sony actually enforces this process, it is clear that the right exists on paper and the customer has agreed to it. The right to revoke digital ownership exists in principle, as demonstrated by Sony's removal of 551 film titles purchased by users. The inactivity clause is not unique to Sony and has been in existence since at least 2009, with the time period increasing from 18 months to 36 months over the years. The policy predates GDPR and follows Sony's own schedule, not that of any regulator. Microsoft offers comparable inactivity terms for Xbox accounts, but unlike Sony, it commits not to delete accounts that hold digital purchases. The trigger for account closure is account activity, not any specific action, so a single login can reset the clock. The six-month warning of impending closure goes only to the registered email address, meaning that if a user has a stale email address they no longer check, they may lose their digital library without realizing it. If someone keeps a digital collection on an unused console for years, it becomes dependent on the user logging in frequently or on potential future EU legislation that would grant digital-ownership rights, which do not exist at this time.",
  "summary": "Sony's European PlayStation terms let the company close your account after 36 months of inactivity, and the terms say that closure is irreversible. Once the account is gone, so is access to every digital game bought through it. The clause has been in the terms for years. It drew fresh attention this weekend because Sony confirmed last week that from 2028, new PlayStation games will ship with no…",
  "key_points": [
    "Sony can close European PlayStation accounts after 36 months of inactivity.",
    "Closure of the account makes digital games permanently inaccessible.",
    "Microsoft does not delete accounts with digital purchases, unlike Sony."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}